Dorothy Scott

This is the fourth in a series of articles by the Cayman Islands Financial Services Association on people in the financial sector.

In this article, we look at the role of a corporate attorney, through the eyes of Dorothy Scott of Walkers Global.

Ms Scott was always an exceptional student, obtaining full academic scholarships to the United World College in New Mexico, the London School of Economics in England, and receiving the Cayman Scholar Award to attend the College of Law in London.

Her interest in the law can be traced back to a summer work placement at the Courts Office during Year 11 at John Gray High School. After that Ms Scott interned at Walkers for a number of years.

“There is a certain buzz to a busy court or law firm,” she says, “and a sense that you are participating in the history of the Islands. I caught the law bug as a high school graduate and never looked back.”

Through work placements she came to appreciate that a career in law was very possible for her.

“I have always loved to read, write and analyse - the key skills utilised daily by attorneys,” Ms Scott explains. “I did not recognise it at the time, but my interest in languages, literature and social science developed my creativity and critical thinking skills.”

As Cayman Islands legal counsel for investment managers, she supports the development, launch and operation of Cayman Islands investment fund products. There are many advantages for investment managers to establish funds in the Cayman Islands, the most obvious being its tax-neutral jurisdiction with its sophisticated legal system. What young persons may not always appreciate, however, is that Cayman also provides the necessary expert service providers, across a number of fields, who establish and maintain some of the world’s largest and most important investment funds.

Cayman attorneys are key drivers of the financial industry as they ensure that these deals work within the Cayman Islands legal framework.

Ms Scott had an “arsenal of mentors” at various stages in her professional development. Sara Collins and Angus Foster took a keen interest in her development from the outset and were the first attorneys to embrace her interest. Likewise, Wayne Panton was always very encouraging.

“More recently, Caroline Williams and Ingrid Pierce played a big role in my transition from a junior attorney to a mid-level associate,” she adds.

Outside of the law, she is heavily involved in Rotaract, a programme of Rotary, and a number of Rotarians have mentored her, particularly in the area of leadership.

Asked about her university experience, Ms Scott says, “I was fortunate to study in a small town in the American southwest and then in the heart of London. Aside from the academic opportunities, my university experience matured me. Living abroad in the absence of other Caymanians inevitably provided unique life experiences and a deep appreciation of our culture and heritage.

“I gained life-long friendships in the process and find that I am uniquely equipped to bridge certain cultural barriers and credit that skill to not only studying anthropology but also living in diverse communities.”

Law is a very demanding profession, and those demands begin the minute you register for your first class. It is also exceptionally competitive. As only graduates with the best grades and resumes will be offered articles of clerkship, anyone interested in a career in the law must be willing to commit themselves to academic excellence from the outset.

Like any other profession, the law requires a commitment to life-long learning and professional development. While rewarding, be warned that a legal career will make severe demands of your time and there is little excitement or glamour in years of hard study and research.

As Ms Scott says, “A lawyer must have a love of the English language as you scrutinise it every day. If you cannot bear reading, law is probably not the career for you. And please do not rely on television programs or novels to inform you about legal practice.”

What are the three most common tasks you perform on a typical day?
“I am not a litigator so I do not attend Court. Rather, I spend my days, providing advice by e-mail or conference calls, many times on a very ad hoc and urgent basis. I review and comment on various documents to ensure that they are compliant with Cayman Islands law and I draft all manner of documents such as legal opinions, director resolutions, articles of associations, agreements etc.”
 
What is your favourite part of the job?
“Clients - like any other service industry, working with a good client can make a difficult transaction a great experience. It’s very rewarding to help them meet their goals.”
 
What is your least favourite part of the job?
“Clients - like any other service industry, working with an unreasonable client can make any transaction unpleasant. That said, a key “soft skill” for any attorney is managing personalities and expectations.”
 
What do you wish someone had told you years ago?
“That it is not necessary to obtain a law degree to become a lawyer. Many students who have obtained a bachelor’s degree may ‘convert’ their existing degree into a law degree by undertaking the Postgraduate Diploma in Law at a number of universities and law schools in England.
“It is a very challenging route, but provides access to a legal career for mature candidates. A conversion course is an excellent opportunity to gain additional life and academic experience before taking the plunge into the law. Regardless of the route you take you must have excellent grades at every level.”
 
Ms Scott has a 12-year-old daughter, Ana Sarai Olson. She is an active member of First Baptist Church and a volunteer with the Children’s Church ministry. In addition, she is a trained youth mentor and literacy tutor. She has previously volunteered extensively with at-risk youth through the John Gray High School Coaching for Success programme and male adult offenders at the Northward Prison literacy programme through Cayman Islands Reading Aides.

Ms Scott was nominated as a finalist for the Young Caymanian Leadership Awards in recognition of
her achievements.